Looking Forward
by kage-kurokawa
Summary: rating for safety. sort of sequel to 'waking'. warning: ummm... a little bit of this and that. 83 of course... pls R


Disclaimers: Saiyuki… not mine… never will be… the sad story of my life…

A/N: Hiyaaa minna san!

Okay my lazy mode (plus too much sugar!) struck me in the middle of typing my nihongo assignment (Bad Kage!), it made me miss English for some reason. So decided to doodle again and I ended up making a sort of sequel to my first fic "Waking". Oh well… Here's chapter one.

If anyone's lazy enough to spare some time and read this, well… Please R&R. Thanx!

Warnings: ummm… semi-Sanzo-centric, some language and I don't know if this is ooc or not… probably is, though it was not supposed to be, so I apologize in advance. It's also the light (read: cheerful at least I hope so) fic I was saying earlier… Oh and it's shounen ai by the way. 8338 of course… and maybe one of those cliché little stuff… just another day in the lives of the gang… no plot I guess… lastly, this wasn't suppose to be fluffy either (I can't really define fluffy)…but I don't know if it ended up that way. Do tell me though…

So pls., read first throw stuff at me later okay???

Subtle Differences by Kage Kurokawa

Part I Morning

He hates mornings. Morning makes him cranky. He is aware that sleeping at ungodly hours is his fault but then that's not the point. He always abhorred mornings. It meant having one hell of a hangover after drinking several (ummm, eight actually) bottles of beer. It signals having those nasty little headaches that easily triggers his bad mood. It also meant waking up with bleeding ears due one idiotic saru's incessant whining for food. It means having to join three insufferable idiots for breakfast and listening to two of them fight over the bloody food. Thus morning brings evil thoughts. Morning pushes him to do evil things. It triggers him reach for his fan and hurt some wild animals (read: saru and kappa). It makes him want to shoot somebody dead. Makes him want to shoot himself dead.

Yes. It is firmly entrenched in both his conscious and subconscious mind… Morning is the very epitome of evil.

That was a few days ago. Seemed like a millennia though.

As sunlight filtered through the slits of the shuttered window. Genjo Sanzo, the infamous monk, lay on the bed with his violet gaze focused on the ceiling. Not that there's anything interesting to look up at there, unless one finds dusty light bulbs and peeling white paint interesting. His eyes hold a dreamy look that a person has when he is lost in thought.

Curled beside monk, with his brown head on the monk's shoulders and one arm slung careless on the monks abdomen was the evenly breathing, sleeping figure of Cho Hakkai. The sleeping man stirred slightly and brought his companion out of stupor.

Sanzo turned his head towards the man beside him and sighed softly. It's still quite early and he didn't want to wake Hakkai up. Not yet anyway. The man was quite a sight when he's asleep. Sanzo noticed that it was not the beautiful but stiff mask like countenance he's used to seeing before when the other's asleep, today the sleeping man's face is more relaxed, (comfortable, more like). And seemingly younger too. It's only been three days since the green-eyed youkai recovered from his injuries and is still in need of rest. They had decided to resume their journey today. And last night, Hakkai insisted that he was well enough to drive. Reluctantly (trans: grudgingly), Sanzo agreed after he was thoroughly (trans: thoroughly!) convinced that the man was indeed fit enough for his task (evil hentai smile from author! receives a whack from a certain notorious harisen hehehe).

Besides he didn't want to move from his current position. It feels much too comfortable. It's been ages since he felt this relaxed. Of course he'd very much rather bite his tongue before he would verbally admit that. But also he knew that the moment's gonna end all too soon… with the expected morning racket that will ensue in a few more minutes, one that would most surely try his limited (read: very limited) patience. For now he will just immerse himself in the brief moment of peace with his new (lover?) in his arms.

Losing himself once more in daydreams, he almost didn't feel the other wake up until he felt lips softly grazed his shoulder.

"Ohayo." The soft greeting came. The sound was both sweet and mellifluous to the monk's ears.

"Hn." Was the characteristic reply. But it was enough.

Pale hands reach out for a quick hug. Another pair tightened the embrace. And they lay there in cozy silence or a while yet.

"We should get up, you know." Reluctant to let go.

"Hn." Same goes here.

"Ne, Sanzo I think…"

Voices flowed through the walls. Familiar voices. Calling. Or was it squabbling. Getting louder every second. Which makes it kinda hard to ignore. And soon enough they were at the door.

(A/N: italicized words are the dialogues going on outside the room)

"_Sanzooo! I'm hungry."_

"_Oi monkey, will you shut it? You'll wake everyone up!"_

"_Look who's talking Kappa! Sanzo!"_

"Well, there goes our alarm clock." Smile. Arms releasing their hold.

'One I'd like to smash with a hammer.' (Think Akane of Ranma ½!)Sanzo thinks.

Violet eyes narrow slightly. Annoyed as the other got up and began to dress. He followed suit. He was still annoyed.

"_Hey, Hakkai could still be sleeping you imp! He needs rest you know!"_

"_But Sanzo's not in his room!"_

_A brief pause._

Meanwhile, two figures froze. It's not like it's a secret or anything, but the pair still haven't told their companions what going on as they themselves were just starting to get used to their present situation.

_Voices began again._

"_And what makes you think he's in Hakkai's!"_

"_Coz I saw him come out of here yesterday!"_

"Damn monkey." Sanzo muttered under his breath. And slipped on his robes.

Hakkai just sighed, gave a faint smile and began to fix the bed. 'Oh well…'

"_And what makes you think he's in there now? Maybe he went for a walk"_

"_Hey I maybe out of it sometimes kappa, but I'm not THAT stupid."_

Veins began throbbed on somebody's temple (guess who's?). The owner of the said veins began a mantra Iamcalmiamcollectediwillnotlosemytemperiamcalmiamcollectedi…

"_Really? Could have fooled me. 'Coz you sure look it ya'--"_

"_Teme kappa!"_

That's it! Veins began to pop. The other almost seemed oblivious as he busied himself with the sheets.

Chaos began to ensue outside. Inside, a notorious fiery temper is beginning to burn. The bed is neatly made up.

There was a sound akin to a knock. Only louder. Followed by a crack. And a crash.

That's how two figures found their way on the floor inside Hakkai's room via a broken door.

They were greeted with that signature Kodak smile.

"Oh, look who decided to dropped by for a morning visit."

And also… the…

Evil eye.

And the evil fan.

And so the next sounds that fill the morning air were…

"Itaiiii!!!!"

After a certain green-eyed brunette managed to calm everyone down. You know…the usual stuff that comes after this kind of scenes…hushing maniacal tempers, tending to lumps and bruises. Some charming explanation and offers of compensations for disconcerted and angry inn owners…

This accomplished and everyone in almost decent conditions, the company went to get some breakfast. Some more enthusiastic than others of course (Read: golden-eyed monkey boy!). Morning routines could be quite exhausting you know.

At the breakfast table, things went by the way they were before the incident with Hakkai happened. Except for a few things. Sure, Goku was still gobbling up all the 'meshi' (food, food, food) within reach and within sight. Sure, him and Gojyo still engage in that endless fight for who get the final dumpling. And sure they didn't escape violent threats and another wrath of Sanzo's harisen unscathed. But hey it took Sanzo five full minutes before he exploded ('coz he was too distracted, not with those newspapers he was holding but not reading, he was watching this certain brunette properly eating his breakfast). And five minutes is like, four and a half minutes longer than what it usually takes before the infamous fan makes its dramatic entrance. Besides, they were able to spare the inn from bullet holes (as if it did not already have enough see last fic for details) and Sanzo's gold card from more expenses (as if it didn't have enough to pay for with Goku's stomach alone). These little things didn't escape usually bickering duos. Subtle differences. Almost negligible to everyone else, but very perceptible (and welcome too!) to two men who were spared a little over four minutes of injury time.

And inside their heads:

_The red-haired kappa was thinking: 'I knew that monk just needed to get laid to loosen up a bit. Nice job ol' buddy...'_

_The golden-eyed saru was thinking: 'Either Sanzo's sick… or maybe he's just in a very good mood. Hope he keeps this up tomorrow. Maybe I can get more food then…'_

Later, they prepared to go ahead with their much-delayed journey. The sky was clear and cheerful. The breeze is cool. It was the perfect day for a drive. Their jeep, a.k.a. Hakkai's pet dragon, Hakuryuu waited outside the inn. Sanzo paid the bill. While the other three got the supplies, accompanied by the unceasing enthusiastic exchange of words (read: noisy bickering) between two of the three (guess?).

As they started on their way, Gojyo offered to drive in case Hakkai's not up to it yet. But of course being the nice guy hat he is, he insisted that he is well enough to perform the task much. (Much to the disappointment of Goku 'coz he's stuck with the kappa on the backseat again).

Besides Sanzo said, in this very words: "I'll be damned if I let that kappa drive. I might as well kill myself."

To which said kappa replied, "Well you're not my type either blondie."

To which he gets a cold steel pressed against his temple. "Deathwish.?"

"Okay, okay. I get it. You just wanna grope ol' green---"

Click!

"Okay. Shutting up now." _Geez Hakkai must really teach this grouch to lighten up a bit._

The first few minutes of the ride was fairly quiet. Probably because it was such a nice day and they have such a nice view of the flower laden fields and the distant mountains that everyone seemed to have taken the time to admire mother nature's little wonders.

Sitting in the front seat beside their faintly smiling driver, a white-robed monk closed his eyes. He was a bit sleepy. Didn't get much sleep last night. Not because of the usual bouts of insomnia. Last night was Hakkai's fault. Not that he minds though. On the contrary, he's looking forward to losing sleep again soon (author rolls eyes read: hormones). For now, Sanzo let the soft hum of his lover beside him lull him in his reverie.

Waking up next to a beautiful green-eyed brunette was something he could really get used to, Sanzo reflected. Watching a sleeping Hakkai in his arms would probably be one of his favorite pastimes. Or maybe waking up to Hakkai's kisses would be much better (click! author is being threatened for making someone seem hentai). Anyway, maybe mornings won't be such a drag from now on after all. Maybe he'd learn to actually (like?) it one of these days… damn! Three days with Hakkai's making him soft!

Just then, our beloved priest's trance was rudely interrupted by…

"_Scoot over ero kappa! You're in my space."_

"_I don't see you name on the seat saru!"_

He can feel it coming. That migraine. Those nasty irritating headaches.

"_Teme kappa!"_

Here comes that which make him crabby. That, which makes him want to send somebody down the gates of hell.

"_Shut up bakasaru!_

Here it comes…

"URUSAI both of you!"

"But Sanzo…" 

Bullets raining down from the heavens.

"Maa, maa…" 

He takes it back. His former opinion still remains…

Mornings come to make him suffer.

Morning means spending the day with insufferable idiots.

Yes. Mornings are evil.

End Chapter 1

A/N: Okay. Did anyone even get the point of this seemingly senseless chapter?

There you have it. My first pathetic attempt at semi-humor. I learned something important today: I can't write humor and lemons to save my life. XD .geez, was it hard… so that's why I have a respect to those who can write them well…

Was this informal? Answer: Yes it was. I write freestyle (a.k.a. anything goes. Okay?) : )

Thank you for wasting your time with me again today.

Well, what ya think? Was this even funny?! Sappy, fluffy, ooc…Hate it? Wanna hurl something at me for making this fic? ( You do!?!) Oh well. Can't blame you. Happens…

Please R&R minna san!

Ja, mata aimashoo!


End file.
